DAYTONA BEACH, FL — Authorities in Florida are escalating a clampdown on spring break crowds at local beaches after gatherings organized through social media led to more than 100 arrests, medical calls, and the seizure of weapons over the weekend.
Thousands of people flocked to Volusia County, which covers popular destinations like Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach, Florida, during the first weekend of spring break. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office blamed promoters on social media for amplifying the turnout by publicizing unsanctioned events, referred to as "takeovers."
During anews conferenceon Tuesday, March 17, Sheriff Mike Chitwood warned online promoters that they could face legal action for organizing events without permits and contributing to unsafe conditions.
"Spring Break Invasion promoters are on notice," the sheriff's office said in a statement. "We're coming after you financially for the costs your chaos brings to our community. Also, a special event zone with enhanced penalties will be in effect in Daytona Beach for your next chaotic pop-up event."
Chitwood said Volusia County will be the first county in the state to enforce financial penalties for these promoters and that his office has already sent two cease-and-desist letters to such organizers. He added that authorities will sue if organizers do not stop promoting "takeover" events.
The sheriff noted that large gatherings organized on social media can "endanger public safety" and strain community resources, including increased calls for emergency medical services, deputies working overtime, and crews dealing with significant trash cleanup.
"There's a way to do business. Get permits. You do things the right way," Chitwood said. He also said authorities have declared a special event zone in the area from Friday, March 20, at 11 a.m. local time until at least Sunday, March 22, allowing law enforcement to hand out heavier penalties.
Over 100 arrests made in Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach
During anothernews conferenceon Monday, March 16, Chitwood said deputies made a total of 133 arrests on thefirst weekend of spring break, with 84 arrests in Daytona Beach and 49 inNew Smyrna Beach.
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About 17 minors were processed at the Volusia County Family Resource Center, including several whose parents were notified to come pick them up because they were drunk or high, Chitwood said.
Deputies also seized six guns, including two from one adult and a stolen gun from a juvenile, according to Chitwood. He reported 20 encounters when deputies questioned someone for carrying an open container and the person volunteered having a gun in their backpack. All of the encounters were with adults.
"And there's nothing wrong with that. You can carry your gun concealed. They can carry a weapon open carry. So it's a new generation in dealing with spring break," Chitwood said, adding that there were many people who were armed with guns "on top of the bad guys" who had guns.
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Crowd panic mistaken as a shooting
Chitwood addressed a video that went viral on social media showing a large crowd of people running on the beach after hearing what they believed were gunshots. The sheriff said he had more than 50 deputies in the crowd and confirmed that no gunshots were fired.
"There were zero gunshots on the beach, because what they were doing was crushing a water bottle to make it sound like a gunshot to stampede the crowd," Chitwood said at the March 16 news conference. "I was out there. The chief was out there. We were in the middle of it."
But authorities in Daytona Beach did respond tofour separate shootingsover the weekend, which injured three people, according to theDaytona Beach News-Journal, part of the USA TODAY Network.
None of the shootings occurred on the city's beach, where videos showed large numbers of apparent spring breakers running across the sand and law enforcement vehicles slowly approaching with theiremergency lights and sirensactivated.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Spring break 'chaos' leads to more than 100 arrests in Florida